Where Do You See The Laundry Business Going?

[launderess]

Whilst out shopping the other day, noticed yet another laundry/dry cleaners in the area has closed. This makes the fourth in as many months, and by all accounts others are dropping like flies.

When chatting with the attendant for our local laundromat, he stated that the mat barely breaks even on self-laundry, and makes most of it's money on service washes. Happily for him, the landlord of the large apartment building, also owns the mat, (it is on and part of his property), so things can be managed better than say someone who has to pay rent and such.

High rents, high labour costs, high costs for ultilites, and so forth are driving people out of business. What we get down our way is nothing but drop stores,where items are taken out to a wholesaler and returned. Stores that do their own laundry and or dry cleaning on premises are dying fast.

There is also the fact many old school laundry owners are getting on and leaving the business. In some cases their children take over, but more often than not, they worked hard so their children could go to college and have another life besides laundry.

In a way it's sad, because we are loosing lots of knowledge about how to care for textiles. Drop store owners these days rely on what suppliers tell them, and or simply blame the wholesale laundry for any problems.

 

[qsd-dan]

I've noticed quite a few Laundromats up for sale in the Bay Area at any given time. Rent is probably the #1 killer here. I'm sure utilities is very close behind. With the abundance of cheap new and used appliances, laundromats are probably not in the demand that they once were. I still use one a couple of miles away for bulky comforters. Had to instruct a poor soul how use a front loading washer last time I was in there.

 

[sudsmaster]

There are two large laundromats within a four block radius of my home. Both seem to be doing fine. One is a pure laundromat, all self-serve, with minimal to no attendance. It's in the same building (strip mall style) as a convenience store, so it's possible both are owned by the same outfit. The other has a little snack bar which I think also serves beer and sundries, and does take-in work as well. There are a number of apartment buildings in the area and I gather their in-building laundry rooms may leave something to be desired.

Overall I'd say the decline in laundromats may have to do with the increasing percentage of residents who have their own washers and possibly dryers as well. Water and energy costs may also be a factor. Last time I was in a laundromat I was shocked at the price of a wash, especially the larger format front loaders.

On flip side, dry cleaners might be turning into more of laundries than dry cleaners, what with wet cleaning gaining more and more acceptance. Who knows, maybe the next big thing will be self-serve wet cleaning facilities.

 

[ronhic]

Laundrettes

Well I have just looked in our yellow pages and there are 10 listed for a population of 325000....

I don't know anyone who doesn't own a washing machine out of all my friends, family and work acquaintances and can honestly say that the only time I have used a laundrette is when living at home and the Simpson was awaiting repair. That was before May 1989.

For 99% of the population in Canberra, a laundrette is for 2 things.

- Washing duvets (though we get our down ones drycleaned and the others go in the washer)
- and for when the machine at home is on the blink

...this is partly because our buildings have plumbing for them...even older ones (1930's)...either in the bathroom, kitchen (though this is very rare) or a separate laundry...yep even flats here may have a seperate laundry including a tub not just a cupboard...

Plus with machines here being as cheap as USD250 incl tax, there is little incentive or requirement to use a laundrette

 

[launderess]

Laundromats

In many urban areas, at least in NYC, apartments, co-ops and other multi-family buildings can and often do exclude having a washing machine and or dryer. Even dishwashers can be banned, though that restriction is going as it is clear washing dishes by machine saves water versus hand.

Much depends upon age of the housing stock. Plumbing and or waste water pipes,in older buildings simply cannot handle the water.

From what one has been reading and hearing, the big money is in linen laundry for commercial clients (hotels, motels, health clubs,spas, hospitals and such), but that is a game for the big boys. People think all they need is a few washers and dryers, and a truck, but there is so much more. Ever see what 100lbs of sheets or towels looks like? Or have a restaurant that needs those 200 tablecloths back tomorrow?

Basics of the business haven't changed that much over the years, one can either do small amounts and charge vast sums (like French Laundry), or take in large amounts and compete on cost.

One thing laundries have versus other places, that equipment is sitting there costing money, regardless if it is being used or not. People don't do their homework, or attend one of those seminars by laundry equipment makers (Hubesch, Speend Queen, etc) thinking if they build customers will come. Well the sneaky trick behind those meeting is they want to get you on the hook for all that shiney new equipment. If you don't do any business, you are still staring at that note every month, along with other costs.

OTHO, laundry business can be a good one to be in, after all people will always need clean clothes, and someone has to do the washing. With more families having two income spouses, and or people working all the hours god gives, who wants to spend free time doing the washing? Excluding those of us here! *LOL*

It does make me sad to see the older laundries and mats closing down. So much great equipment, much of it no longer made either destined for the crusher or will languish at some reseller.

 

[launderess]

Washing Down Duvets

Used to do ours at the local laundrette, but while they do have a 50lb washer, they do not have a matching dryer. Using the 25lb or so small dryer means one is forever taking the thing out to fluff and rearrange as it fluffs.

Better to send it out to a place with one of those large cylinder dryers.

L.

 

[tolivac]

At how some FL washers and their matching dryers are priced-surprized the laundramats and laundry companies aren't doing better.At Best Buy they STILL have a "platnum" model SS FL washer dryer set priced at $3500 for the pair down from $5800.At these stupid prices-will buy "swap shop" machines or ---take my clothes to a cleaners or laundramat-one fellow I knew that lived out here did just that-not only to save money-but liked the company of other people doing their clothes at the laundamat-was a "meeting" place for them.that LG washer dryer pair has been at Best buy since last spring.At those prices--no wonder.

 

[ronhic]

Crikey

....USD$3500 is the same as AUD$5000....

For that, I can get these.....

http://www.miele.com.au/au/domestic/products/washingmachines_models_17218.htm

 

[ttuee2006]

I think it has a lot to do with the area you live in and the cross section of the population in a given area that determines the usefulness of a laundromat. Here in town, there are 5 laundromats that I can think of immediately. They all use Helical Maytags or GE Filter-Flo's with some really old Dexter front loaders in the back. All the laundromats here seem to be quite alive and well. It's surprising how many people use them in this town.

For reference, the 2000 census had us at a couple hundred short of 21K.

Still $1.00-$1.50 to wash and $.50 for 30 minutes to dry in the laundromats here.

 

[tolivac]

Good point for the money you are spending on the LG pair from BB you can buy the Meile.-definetly a better quality machine.One person I know here has bought a Meile WD pair.Had to shipped from Raleigh.both need 240V outlets to run-he is having ahouse built in Greenville and had the 220V outlets installed in his laundry room.in fact he bought all Meile appliances-since he is a Meile vacuum dealer-got them at a substantial discount thru Meile.All of his kitchen appliances will be Meile.Will be neat to see them!

 

[launderess]

A Buck Fify to wash? *LOL*

Small front loaders start at $3.00 around here, and go up to $5 for the largest SQ "Big Boy".

Dryers are $.25 for 10 minutes, and recently the heat was turned down.

L.

 

[ttuee2006]

WOW! Well no wonder laundromats are a dead thing there! The top loaders here are $1.00-$1.25 depending on the machine. The old Helical Maytags tend to be $1.00 (mechanical coin mechanisms) and the Filter-Flo's tend to be $1.25. The old Dexters (70's vintage from the look) tend to be $1.50 although I've seen some for $2.00 at a newer laundromat. $.10 usually buys you 10-15 mins in a dryer at an older laundromat, or $.50 gets you half an hour at the newer one.

The one on the other side of town lost most of it's machines in a flood a few years ago and they replaced everything with shredmores.......I haven't been in there since so I have no idea what they charge now.

 

[sudsmaster]

Those pricey stainless LG's were apparently a response to the similarly pricey stainless Kitchenaids. Neither has sold very well at all. I think they are more for show than anything else, as the internals are basically the same as their respective lower priced non-stainless models.

You can still buy a top loader for $300 in most places. You can get a decent front loader for $600.